Sustainability

SUSTAINABILITY

At Creative Habitats, we pride ourselves on utilizing sustainable practices whenever possible. Whether employing native plants, non-invasive plants, rain gardens or recycled materials (recycled brick, phone poles, old concrete), we make a conscious effort to be environmentally aware on each of our projects.

We love trees and try to save healthy, quality trees as much as possible, but understand that from time to time, a tree may need to be cut for the health of the outdoor space and to mitigate dangerous situations where they may die and fall.

We see landscaping as more than an aesthetically pleasing scene – it has a direct impact on the environment. There are many landscape design practices that will minimize both current and future environmental impact and let your yard work with nature instead of against it.

Our favorite practice, however, is choosing trees and shrubs over grass. The benefits are tremendous:

Maintaining grass is time-consuming and expensive. Every month, homeowners mow and water grass and then fertilize that grass with pesticides and herbicides, all of which are costly. However, trees and shrubs, once established, require minimal upkeep. That’s why we love incorporating ample trees and shrubs into our landscape designs.

Trees provide plants with nature’s fertilizer. We encourage our clients to resist the urge to rake leaves in the fall, in favor of letting them decompose around their plants, the way nature designed it.

Trees can cut your power costs. When Corey left for college, his dad planted a $10 tree. When he graduated, his dad told him that the shade of that tree cut his power bill in half. Shade is a valuable resource – grow it. There are neighborhoods in Florida that utilize trees incredibly effectively to minimize power costs. These are intelligently, ecologically designed developments.

Trees and shrubs require less water than grass. In even the most severe droughts trees and shrubs hardly show any water stress, whereas grass, to look good, must be watered regularly. We design to need a minimum amount of water.

Trees allow birds and animals to thrive. Go to a new development where all the trees have been bulldozed, and listen in the morning. Silence. But go to an older, established neighborhood with abundant trees and shrubs, and listen. You will hear all kinds of birds and other signs of nature. That is an environmentally healthy neighborhood.